Obama gay-marriage support energizes debate

President's change in stance 'wows' Houston's mayor

Updated 11:41 pm, Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Mayor Annise Parker is shown with partner Kathy Hubbard in 2010. Parker got a call from the White House on Wednesday that President Obama is voicing his support for gay marriage.

Mayor Annise Parker is shown with partner Kathy Hubbard in 2010. Parker got a call from the White House on Wednesday that President Obama is voicing his support for gay marriage.

Photo: Michael Paulsen, Houston Chronicle

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Obama makes his revelation during an interview with ABC's Robin Roberts on Wednesday.

Obama makes his revelation during an interview with ABC's Robin Roberts on Wednesday.

Photo: The White House

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Supporters of the "WE DO" campaign, represented by Campaign for Southern Equality, march on Wednesday in Wilson, N.C.

Supporters of the "WE DO" campaign, represented by Campaign for Southern Equality, march on Wednesday in Wilson, N.C.

Photo: Gray Whitley, Associated Press

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David Peters, right, and Luke Whited, a gay couple who were joined in a civil union in Illinois, show their rings inside a gay bar after the Obama interview.

David Peters, right, and Luke Whited, a gay couple who were joined in a civil union in Illinois, show their rings inside a gay bar after the Obama interview.

Photo: Gerald Herbert, Associated Press

Obama gay-marriage support energizes debate

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WASHINGTON - After two years of publicly agonizing over one of nation's most bitterly divisive social issues, President Barack Obama reversed his long-held position Wednesday and declared his support for same-sex marriage.

The president, running even with Republican challenger Mitt Romney in recent presidential polls, shook up the political equation with a risky political move that Democratic operatives insisted was based on heartfelt principles rather than crass political calculations.

After talking to friends, his daughters, members of his staff, and gay and lesbian members of the military, Obama told ABC: "It is important for me to go ahead and confirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married."

The announcement - the first time a sitting president of the United States has ever endorsed same-sex marriage - came one day after North Carolina voters approved a state constitutional amendment banning both gay marriage and civil unions and three days after Vice President Joe Biden prematurely telegraphed Obama's intentions to a TV interviewer. It also comes on the eve of a fundraising swing that will target gay political activists in California.

"Election-year politics will never change," said Perry spokeswoman Catherine Frazier. "Governor Perry's unwavering commitment is to the sanctity of marriage, defined as a union between one man and one woman."

"Fundamentally, I guess we would say that we are just pleased that the president has come out of the closet on this issue," said Dave Welch, executive director of the council, which represents about 300 clergy members. "I believe this is possibly the nail in his coffin that he is the most extreme anti-family president ever to hold that office, and I don't think that bodes well for his political support, particularly in the African-American community."

For other Christians, Obama's announcement was more hopeful. The Rev. Lisa Hunt, whose Episcopal church in Montrose will be among the first to bless same-sex relationships, found Obama's evolving beliefs on the issue of gay marriage may relate to some of the issues Christians face in today's church.

"Christians, too, evolve and change in their understandings as God continues to act in history. Different churches and different Christians read the texts of God's action differently," she said.

National support for gay marriage has edged upward recently, with several polls showing that a slim majority of voters support it. But voters have never approved same-sex marriage on a state ballot. Analysts said Wednesday that the issue could hurt Obama among religious fundamentalists, older voters and socially conservative blue-collar voters.

"Obama's decision will hurt him in Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina, rural Pennsylvania, northern Florida, rural Missouri, lots of places that he needs," said Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak, a former adviser to Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. "The map just improved for Mitt Romney."

A different opinion

On the other hand, the president's new stance is overwhelmingly popular among younger voters and is likely to turbo-charge the Democrats' socially liberal base.

"This gives the Democrats a fresh chance to mobilize young people and other base voters they need to turn out in November," said Democratic strategist Doug Hattaway, who worked for Hillary Rodham Clinton in the 2008 presidential primaries. "Many of them turned out to make history in 2008, and they will find this leadership from the president inspiring."

Romney, who claimed as a Massachusetts Senate candidate in 1994 that he would provide "more effective leadership" on gay rights issues than longtime Democratic U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, Wednesday reiterated his opposition to same-sex marriage but underscored his opposition to discrimination against gays. Pollster Amy Simon of Oakland, Calif., one of the nation's foremost pollsters on same-sex marriage issues, said Obama is unlikely to alienate many voters with his announcement of support for same-sex marriage because he described his personal evolution to the position.

"He said his children influenced him. He mentioned that he knew friends and co-workers who had been in committed, loving relationships. He talked about his faith," Simon said. With the economy and jobs still on the front burner, Simon said "this isn't the issue that wins or loses him the election."

Also contributing were Cindy George in Houston, Carla Marinucci and Joe Garofoli in San Francisco and the Associated Press.